Did my yeast stop fermenting?

[BadMotherTrucker]

On Sunday night I made up a 5 gallon batch of Irish Stout from a kit. I pitched the yeast and by the next morning (12 hours or so) I had bubbling from the airlock every 3-5 seconds, and about 1 1/2 inches of foam up top. By afternoon today (Monday) the foam was gone, bubbling stopped, and I dont have that cool looking "swirling" of sediment inside the carboy that I have noticed happens while fermentation is happening. My question is this: Did my yeast quit on me after only fermenting for 12 hours?

 

[kh54s10]

How warm did the wort get during fermentation. If you did not control the temperature it probably passed the height of active fermentation already. Depending on the highest temperature reached this might not be good. High temperatures lead to off flavors and worse would be fusel alcohols.

So in answer, your yeast probably did not quit but have done most of the fermentation already. Fermentation is not done when the bubbling stops, but is done when the gravity of the wort has bottomed out.

For better beer look to controlling the temperature of your fermentations. Research swamp coolers and/or fermentation chambers.

 

[BadMotherTrucker]

Thanks. The temperature of my wort stayed constant 74*. I thought I pitched it while it was still to hot, but after taking readings, the gravity is 1.019 ish. I guess its still doing its job!!! Thanks.

 

[BadMotherTrucker]

Okay, update on this, it has now been a week, and my specific gravity has stopped at 1.019, the same as it was on my last reading 4 days ago. Since I need to get it down to around 1.012-1.013, should I put more yeast in it? Or should I just accept it with this 1.019 and bottle it? I would hate to ruin 5 gallons of Irish Stout.